chapman



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.- R. G. CHAPMAN & D. L. EUSTIOE.

GRAPPLING TOOL.

No. 361,614. Patented Apr. 19, 1887.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. O. CHAPMAN & D. L. EUSTIGE.

' GRAPPLING TOOL.

Patented Apr. 19, 1887 fAMfA/ J/ W 4 ckqmm' fl g \AZZ/A/E55E5 'JKOM '9 I" I.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT C. CHAPMAN AND DANIEL L. E'USTIOE, OF EAST DUBUQUE, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO FREDERICK BARTLETT, OF

FREEPORT, ILLINOIS.

GRAPPLING-TOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,614, dated April 19, 1887.

Application filed May 29, 1886. Serial No. 203,628.

(No modvl.)

To all whom, it may; concern Be it known that we, ROBERT C. CHAPMAN and DANIEL L. EUsTIoE, of East Dubuque, in the county of Jo Daviess and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Grappling-Tools; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates more particularly to what are known as wire-stretchers; and the object it has in view is the production of a tool or instrument which will answer all or almost all the various requirements and purposes of a grappling device, particularly such devices as are used in the construction of wire fences, and which shall be of an exceedingly cheap and simple character with increased durability and efficiency. The novelty therein consists in the construction and arrangement of two levers corresponding in outline and one of which has two jaws,between which the single jaw of the other lever is pivoted, so that by one movement of the lovers the ends of the jaws are made to point outward in opposite directions and by another movement they are made to point inward toward each other for apurpose, all as will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

For the better comprehension of this invention attention is invited to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l isa perspective view of the tool or instrument with its jaws open in that position in which their ends point outward in opposite directions; Fig. 2, a similar view with the jaws closed; Fig. 3, a similar view with the jaws open in that position in which their ends point inward toward each other; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the use and application of the tool as a wire-stretcher.

A and B denote the two levers which constitute the tool, and which, for lightness, are provided, preferably, with wooden handles and correspond in general outline. The lever A,

at about the center of its metal jaw A, is bent outwardly, as shown in the drawings, and is provided at its outer extremity with apointed hook, a, having an angular notch, a, cut in its end. The lever B has two metal jaws, B B, both bent like the jaw A of'lever A, and each provided with apointed hook, 7), upon its outer end, which hooks differ from that of lever A in that they have no notch upon their ends. Between the two jaws of lever B, and at the point where the bend occurs, is pivoted the singlejaw of lever A, and when the handles are brought together the jaws hold the position shown in Fig. 1, and in separating them they take the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The many purposes for which this tool or instrument may be conveniently and successfully employed are too numerous to mention; but those that are most common and universally called for in a device of this character it may be well to set forth,and describe the manner in which the tool is to be operated.

In the capacity of a wire-stretcher, as shown in Fig. 4, the wire is inserted in the notch on the end ofjaw A of lever A, and the jaws of lever B are placed around the fence-post C, so

that the latter will fit within the concave part of said jaws, or that part where the jaws are bent out from the lever. The lever A is then drawn back around the post, (the operator controlling the lever B, which serves to steady the former,) and the wire is thus tightly drawn between the two jaws of lever B against the post 0, and there held while it is being secured to the post. In this way the wire can be drawn to a breaking te'nsion without the application of much strength upon the part of the workman. Furthermore, by the use of this tool, if the wire should break, all danger of injury to the workman is avoided, because in stretching the wirehe is not in its path.

Aside from the use above mentioned, this tool is admirably adapted for lifting and handling barbed wire, and especially for cutting off wire; also, for extracting wire staples, for handling railroad-rails, for handling nailkegs, and other similar articles by either hooking it in the chines or opening the jaws 'wide enough to grasp the body, for grasping the legs or lower j aws of hogs in scalding or dressing them, and for many other grasping and lifting purposes too numerous to mention.

We would also here state that this tool is excellently adapted for cutting wire by simply inserting the wire in one of the notches z of the levers and then closing the latter together.

The tool is cheap and durable and is a handy instrument on farms, and also in the house and in machine-shops.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new therein, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. A grappling-tool consisting of a lever having two parallel outwardly-bent jaws, each provided at its end with a pointed hook, and a second lever having a single outwardly-bent jaw pivoted between the two jaws of the other lever and provided atits end with an angular notched hook, substantially as and for they purposes set forth.

ROBERT C. CHAPMAN; DANIEL L. EUSTIOE.

\Vitnessesi WILLIAM GRAHAM, MALBONE W. GRAHAM. 

